I'm typing this up, because it was by far my most fun, hardest worked for, rewarding one yet. Stalking and putting the sneak on them is a blast! I like hunting jacks the same way.
It was cloudy and not too hot yesterday, so I spent most of the day practicing shooting the Savage .223. On the way home, I was hungry, but decided to stop and make a stand along a tree line where I got my first one a while back. Ended up getting his brother I'm pretty sure. I parked at the end of the treeline and set up about 400y out from where #1 had come out last time. I was at the edge of a field behind a waist high berm with some bushes, about 100 yards from the end of the treeline where I had parked. Wind from my right to left. I called a bit, and he came out, but wouldn't leave his spot and eventually went back in. So, now the tough part...I didn't want him to see me so I did a combo of crawling and squatted duck walking 100 yards back to the tree line and out of sight. I was impressed with my new pants, I've always worn denim, but bought theses recently, they are awesome for hot weather and the knees held up to crawling in the gravel. http://www.amazon.com/Eddie-Bauer-Mens-Bagger-Pants/dp/B00KGITRAA
This is what I could see through my scope at 9x, but it was clearer than this phone pic.
It was good to sit and just watch a while, get used to seeing them and keeping the nerves down.
I then walked half way down the tree line, using google earth on my phone to get range in the ballpark. When I felt I was close enough, I crept through the trees, belly crawled out under some branches to where I could see where he was before, and called a bit. Nothing, but there was a little drop between me and where he had been, so maybe I just couldn't see him. I couldn't get any closer because of the wind/drop, so had to circle around to down wind without him seeing me in case he peeked out. I went back through the trees, up the treeline, back down the wash crawling again, 3-400 yds this time, then walked/ran bent over at the waist another 3-400 yards, and then snuck down a ditch a couple hundred to about 150 from where he'd been. I am sore today.
Called a bit, and after a minute saw him trotting along the tree line. Barked, and he slowed a little, almost stopped, and then kept going. I shot and missed, I was pretty shaky from exercise and adrenaline long term,
: might have brushed his tail, because his back end dropped a little and he spun around and looked behind him like ???!!!. I ran the bolt, and he kept trotting, so I barked again, he slowed, and I drilled him in the shoulder with a VMAX, bangflop. I threw my hat/"mask" off, rolled over on my back, and laid there trying to calm down and catch my breath...and then texted sdbirds ;D
Entry
Exit, must have deflected off a bone
So anyway, I think that one was as NBK says, "Strong work!". I'm feelin' like I worked today.
It was cloudy and not too hot yesterday, so I spent most of the day practicing shooting the Savage .223. On the way home, I was hungry, but decided to stop and make a stand along a tree line where I got my first one a while back. Ended up getting his brother I'm pretty sure. I parked at the end of the treeline and set up about 400y out from where #1 had come out last time. I was at the edge of a field behind a waist high berm with some bushes, about 100 yards from the end of the treeline where I had parked. Wind from my right to left. I called a bit, and he came out, but wouldn't leave his spot and eventually went back in. So, now the tough part...I didn't want him to see me so I did a combo of crawling and squatted duck walking 100 yards back to the tree line and out of sight. I was impressed with my new pants, I've always worn denim, but bought theses recently, they are awesome for hot weather and the knees held up to crawling in the gravel. http://www.amazon.com/Eddie-Bauer-Mens-Bagger-Pants/dp/B00KGITRAA
This is what I could see through my scope at 9x, but it was clearer than this phone pic.
It was good to sit and just watch a while, get used to seeing them and keeping the nerves down.
I then walked half way down the tree line, using google earth on my phone to get range in the ballpark. When I felt I was close enough, I crept through the trees, belly crawled out under some branches to where I could see where he was before, and called a bit. Nothing, but there was a little drop between me and where he had been, so maybe I just couldn't see him. I couldn't get any closer because of the wind/drop, so had to circle around to down wind without him seeing me in case he peeked out. I went back through the trees, up the treeline, back down the wash crawling again, 3-400 yds this time, then walked/ran bent over at the waist another 3-400 yards, and then snuck down a ditch a couple hundred to about 150 from where he'd been. I am sore today.
Called a bit, and after a minute saw him trotting along the tree line. Barked, and he slowed a little, almost stopped, and then kept going. I shot and missed, I was pretty shaky from exercise and adrenaline long term,
: might have brushed his tail, because his back end dropped a little and he spun around and looked behind him like ???!!!. I ran the bolt, and he kept trotting, so I barked again, he slowed, and I drilled him in the shoulder with a VMAX, bangflop. I threw my hat/"mask" off, rolled over on my back, and laid there trying to calm down and catch my breath...and then texted sdbirds ;DEntry
Exit, must have deflected off a bone
So anyway, I think that one was as NBK says, "Strong work!". I'm feelin' like I worked today.
